The 67-year old governor of Oyo and former Senator the Republic of Nigeria representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Abiola Adeyemi Ajimobi, has unofficially proclaimed himself as the “afobaje” of Oyo State. It is rather annoying and disheartening that our so-called leaders still live in the primitive world.

During an interactive session with newsmen organized to mark the `Democracy Day’ and the sixth anniversary of governor’s administration’s, which has been plagued with several controversies, one of which is the “constituted authority” drama, the governor stated that 34 aspirants are currently jostling to succeed him under the platform of APC.

“I have seen about five people who have the potentials to succeed me. I will let you know whoever will be my successor by May next year,’’ he said.

The governor further stated his desire to return to the National Assembly as a Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District after completing his tenure as governor in 2019.

While I would not be a judge of the “constituted authority” of Oyo State that has seen my friend spend over three years in 300L at Ladoke Akintole University of Technology, I sit back and wonder why anyone would want to vote for a person that has said and showed that as the supposed #1 person in Oyo State, he can decide to do whatever he pleases.

His consideration to return to NASS can be likened to a dog returning to its vomit. If I may the governor and the people of Oyo South Senatorial District, “what did Senator Abiola Adeyemi Ajimobi achieve during his first spell representing you? He is 67 years old already and I am wondering if there are younger, fresher and better heads in Oyo State to direct the affairs of the “Pacesetter State”.

I guess I can only write and see how 2019 and beyond pans out for Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole. But as I will always say, #OurMumuDonDo.

The APC was a somewhat formidable opposition to the PDP, especially after it was formed in February 2013. This subsequently led to the party winning the 2015 election, with the “change” mantra being its major campaign slogan. All this is history, and the country has moved on since then.

It is, however, unfortunate but not surprising that in a country like Nigeria, there has been almost no opposition to the current government. While I might no be a strong advocate of opposition, I believe in constructive criticism and not what the likes of our award-winning senator cum musician are doing in the national assembly.

The only credible opposition to a government or party is the electorates – the so-called ordinary citizens of Nigeria. If you are wondering how I came to this conclusion, try to Google the list of “dignitaries” that attended former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida’s daughter’s wedding. Jagaba, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was pictured attending the ceremony of a man accused of killing his political mentor – MKO Abiola, sitting beside who was supposed to be his arch political rival – former President Jonathan.

The only result that can come out of such an association is how Nigeria and Nigerians can be dragged deeper into the dungeon of suffering and poverty. It is, therefore, time for Nigeria and Nigerians to stop the blame game and the winning. Instead, let us criticize and oppose our “rulers,” asking questions and holding them accountable, as this is the only opposition that would give us the change we want if we want any at all.

Be an active part of the polity or let hoodlums and touts decide your future and that of your unborn children and grandchildren.

The run-up to the 2015 presidential election was indeed an interesting period. The struggle for PVC, the intrigues and campaigns that divided the nation into progressives versus transformationists (supporters of the status-quo), media coverage, the election postponement, the election proper, card reader woes, counting of votes and final announcement of results. Nigerians were really interested in the outcome of this election.
Just like recent American and British elections, Nigerian 2015 Presidential election was largely influenced by new media – the Internet and social media platforms & sites (Leuschner 2012, IET 2016). Nigeria’s improving tele-density accounts for an estimated 16 million Twitter/Facebook users so far (Internet World Stats 2016). Political discussions on these new media are so ubiquitous, little wonder Nigeria is better rated than the US and the UK in the use of social media for politics (Jackson 2016). Thus the viability and preference of the new media cannot be over-emphasized.

There are 40 registered parties, 14 of which participated in the 2015 presidential elections (INEC 2016). Indeed the election result concurs with earlier held elections to show our bi-partisanship Votes distribution was as usual skewed in favour of only 2 parties while the other 12 parties polled negligible votes. This should not necessarily be so. It is not a hopeless situation for the small fries, the new media is here to stay and it’s egalitarian platform guarantees success to any political party with a holistic combination of presentable candidates, appropriate manifesto and robust IT strategy.

Taking a cue from the just concluded 2016 American elections we learn that:

1. Any publicity is good publicity. Just be in the limelight. The news & social media unwittingly created more attention for Donald Trump. Even those that were obviously for the wrong reasons were skillfully maneuvered by the Trump camp.

2. There exists a grand distrust for career politicians by the electorate. Such was the story of the unpopular Trump who triumphed over Hillary because Americans were tired of liars, sorry I meant to say politicians. They just are the same, aren’t they? Always talking from all sides of their mouths; upholding today what they vehemently opposed yesterday.

What’s more, allegiances change. Nigerians are largely after good governance. The PDP was booted out for abysmal performance and so can the APC. Who says if KOWA or APGA have the right combinations that they can’t win the next presidential elections?

Now is the time for all to act. Let us make electioneering more interesting in Nigeria and by so doing, up the ante in the quality of elected officials irrespective of their party affiliations.

Every 5th of October is marked as the day for the teachers – World Teachers’ Day and the 2016 theme is titled ‘Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status.’ Teachers are next to parents in all ramifications, and if possible, they should be accorded the same respect and courtesy that parents get from their wards. The government and parents should also respect and honour teachers as not only do they play an important role in the lives of the children, but they also help in shaping the society. It is therefore not surprising that in countries like Finland and other such nations where education and teachers are highly-valued, the countries are more organised and developed, with a significantly better standard of living compared to countries that do not cherish their educational system.

Below is a graph showing the average remuneration of teachers in OECD member countries over a period of 15 years.

Note : The salary expressed on the Y-axis is in ‘000$

It is not surprising that Switzerland is regarded as one of the safest countries in the world. This simply shows that a nation is a reflection of how the teachers are treated.

African nations are particular culprits of not treating their teachers and almost neglecting the educational sector in totality. Most developing countries devote less than 10% of their total annual budget to the education sector. Nigeria for instance, which is by the way, the “giant of Africa” allocated just 6% of its budget to education, a sector that is meant to cater for the teeming Nigerian youths, with 3% of the budget going to the legislative arm of the government of just 405 persons, that has failed to make any significant law in over 15 years.

If you are still wondering why developing countries have remained “developing” over the years, then you should take a look at the way the teachers and the education sector has been treated over the years, and you are sure of getting answers to your questions.

It is no news that countries especially those that generate the majority of their revenue from the sale of crude, are currently leaking their wounds, no thanks to the continuous and astronomical decline in the price of crude oil in the world market. The different effects of the economic recession have been experienced in many of these countries as not only are the citizens angry, but suicide cases have also been reported to increase drastically since the economic downturn.

While living during a recession in the economy is obviously difficult, surviving this economic downturn is not impossible. The key to surviving recession is to identify where we are hit the hardest and device ways of reducing the damage. This will include earning more, saving more and preparing for the worst-case scenario. Below is a general overview of how you can survive these harsh times of economic recession.

Making Money in Recession

For every economic situation, there is always a way of making the best out of it and if you seem not to be making enough money to take care of the bills especially in the recession, it is important to look for other sources of income, even as you stick to your current business or 9 to 5 job.

Explore online money-making options. Thanks to the internet, people can harness other sources of income even from the comfort of their homes. Freelancing, being an online tutor or even being a writer, are some of the options available to make money online.

For those that already lost their jobs due to the economic climate, starting up a home-based business would be the best option possible. You could start up a home consultancy business in your area of expertise or better still, run a meal delivery outfit from your kitchen.

Saving Money and Resolving Debts

Making more money during a recession is not the only answer to a downturn in itself as wealth management or financial management is also an integral part of surviving recession. You have to manage your debt profile and avoid getting into debts as much as you can. Cost reduction is also important here, and you should know how to find cheap but quality services and products as opposed to the exorbitant ones.

Financial and Personal Security in Recession

Savings, investment, your job, and even your retirement funds should be jealously guarded during the recession as every penny counts. You, therefore, want to stand out at your workplace, find safer investment portfolios, and if possible, recession-proof retirement fund.

Prepare for the Worst Case Scenario

Plans do not always go our way; it is therefore always good to prepare for the worst that could happen. This will ensure that you do not take extreme solutions like committing suicide if the worst happens.

Your Health during the Recession

Health, they say is wealth. It is, therefore, imperative that even as you go looking for ways of making yourself better financially, you want to also take care of your health by embracing a healthy attitude which includes eating healthy and living healthy.

Recessions are not the best of times, but the overview provided above will not only help you survive the harsh economic time, but it will also help your finances after the downturn.

Exclusive breastfeeding is prescribed for babies, and it is the exclusive breastfeeding of the baby for the first six months of life. This is a WHO recommendation and mothers are advised to continue to breastfeed the child until he or she is at least two years old.

It is, however, surprising that despite the WHO’s clamor for exclusive breastfeeding, many mothers across the globe fail to breastfeed their babies exclusively even for the first two months.

Benefits of Breastfeeding to the Baby

The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continuously for another two years at least are briefly highlighted below, even as the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a minimum of one year of breast milk, with no maximum duration.

It contains the right nutrients needed in for human development in the perfect proportion.

The mother’s antibodies being passed to the child through breast milk help to prevent several illnesses.

Breast milk helps to reduce the risk of developing allergies and even obesity in the future.

Breast milk helps the optimal development of the brain.

It reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Breast milk straight from the source is sterile and contains many good bacteria.

It contains hundreds of nutrients that cannot be found in baby formula and no baby is allergic to it.

Premature babies also benefit from breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding helps to strengthen the bond that exists between the mother and child, and it has been discovered that babies that are breastfed properly grow up to become more socially independent, compared to their formula-fed counterparts.

The breastfed baby enjoys some protection and comfort that come from the skin-to-skin contact during breastfeeding.

The Mother’s Benefits

For whatever reason you might want to decide not to breastfeed your baby exclusively at least for the first six months, the benefits that accrue to the mother should change your mind and make you have a rethink.

Protection from post-partum bleeding due to the contraction of the uterus that results from the suckling action of the baby.

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months is an effective pregnancy control strategy.

Breastfeeding helps to reduce the risk of developing iron-deficient anemia.

It helps to fasten and sustain weight loss.

It decreases the risk of developing ovarian, uterine, and breast cancers.

Recent studies have shown that breastfeeding can help prevent osteoporosis.

Women, do not be scared of your breast sagging; it will eventually sag whether you breastfeed or not, so why don’t you just let your baby enjoy it even as you benefit from feeding him or her?

It is no news that world economies, especially nations that are highly dependent on oil revenue are suffering. It is even clearer in Africa where economic ministers are coming out to admit that countries are in recession even if the minister of economy in Nigeria, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun claims it is “technical”.

Recession takes a heavy toll on personal finances and families need to adjust to the harsh economic realities. Times like this require good financial management not just to survive but also to ensure that you are not heavily hit by the effects of an economic recession.

One of the major characteristics of economic recession is that money loses value. It gets even worse as jobs are threatened with organizations trying to cut cost and sometimes having to reduce their workforce.

Nobody wants an economic recession but since it’s just a phase in the economic cycle, we all have to deal with it and below are some financial tips to help you get through such times.

Track your Expenses

In times like this, it is normal to almost always check your account statement to look for any irregular bank charges. Unfortunately, in this part of the world, we are not really bothered when we see inexplicable bank charges below #1,000 on our account. If you think it is small, imagine the bank charging this small amount on their over ten million customers for example.

The most important task under tracking your expenses is to ensure that you prioritize your expenses and work according to your scale of preference. It is also imperative that you get serios about having a budget and even more importantly, following it through.

Avoid Debts

Whether you are taking a loan from a bank or you getting it from your loved one, it is important to avoid borrowing money as much as possible. During inflation, borrowers gain and of course, after this economic phase is over, lenders smile. The idea here is that the #5,000 you borrow during economic recession and inflation can buy fewer things as compared to after recession or in a better economic situation.

Multiple Income Streams

You can never have enough of income streams. Imagine having two to different jobs or streams of income other than you 8 to 5, to help cater to your expenses especially with the rising costs of things and the uncertainty surrounding white-collar jobs. The income from these sources do not have to be necessary huge especially at the start. You can subsequently grow them as time goes on and trust me; these sources of income will be more appreciated after the recession is over.

Personally, I have about three streams of income. Though I don’t make millions from them, I can afford to pay my bills and still sort out some other stuffs on the side. Fiverr,MMM, and Click Intensity are the income sources helping the guy out the moment and I hope to improve on them real soon.

A popular wealthy guy once said, “do not look to cut down on your expenses instead, increase your income sources”. The recession is real and we all have to deal with it. I hope my tips will help you survive this season and make the best out of it.

By the way, I will try to post something on my income sources mentioned above. However, you can contact me on whatsapp/call – +2348088884801 for more information on any of them and I will be happy to help.

Contact us on +2348088884801, adeyinkaadejumo@aol.com , or Fiverr for captivating Press Releases, Website content, Blog Posts, and other Writing Services.

A widow is described as a woman that her lost her husband. While this definition has stood the test of time with virtually everyone agreeing to it, it is worth noting that widowhood does not necessarily have to mean losing a spouse, especially in sane environments.

In developing nations especially African countries, widowhood is a different ball game compared to what is obtainable in developed countries. As a woman, you are open to many choices. There is the choice of being a widow even before the death of your spouse or even worse, training your daughter to become a widow in-the-making if her spouse unfortunately dies before her.

While no woman would want to lose her spouse, the irony remains that no woman or man wants to die before his or her spouse. It therefore means that someone has to die before the other, at least in most cases. For a man, there is usually no pressure regardless of who dies first. An African woman however has many things to contend with if she becomes an “African Widow”.

In this context, an African widow is a woman that is not empowered to fight and even defeat the so-called traditions in many African nations that has subjected the feminine folks to maltreatment after the passage of their husbands.

The last time I checked, it is only in Africa that you have such passage rites like the woman drinking the water washed off the corpse of her husband to prove that she knows nothing about the death of the man. Some widows are also subjected to victimization from the relatives of their dead husbands by making the woman marry the sibling of her late husband. In even more insane societies, widows are made to sleep with the corpse of their husbands in a room for days, in the name of funeral rites.

The different forms of maltreatment of widows mentioned above, are just some of the many traditions in Africa and other parts that women are made to pass through after the passing away of their “better half”.

Everyone is usually quick to blame the government and ask for laws to prohibit these acts. My people, my people, for how long will we wait till we stop this craze. Instead of asking for laws or blaming it on the tradition, why don’t you take the bold step of getting prepared for that day when you probably might be a “woman who was married to a spouse who is now dead” and not an “African Widow” that is ridiculed after the death of her husband.

BE empowered and not necessarily getting a formal education, but knowing how to make ends meet and may be planning the future with your spouse and this should include having him write a WILL even if the document is sometimes disregarded.

And for our daughters, it is incumbent on us to ensure that they are educated and have their destinies in their hands instead of being at the mercy of a man that his passing away will mean doom to them.

It’s June 23, International Widow’s Day. Let’s take time to reflect on the kind of woman we and our daughters want to be in the class of widows.

For one reason or the other, I am almost always happy after visiting the loo and those that know the writer can testify to this. The toilet as some of us will call it has somehow become a place I find solace and I can now relate with those guys that enter the loo with a magazine or newpaper, I do that tho’.

The benefits of being anle to successfully use a toilet cannot be overemphasized and if you doubt it, ask from a guy that has experienced being press in a heavy traffic. Basically, we often overlook the huge benefits and blessings that we enjoy especially as we consider them “normal”

I remember the feeling I had when I visited my aunt in Lekki and I had to take a dump. The toilet was so comfortable and conducive I could have taken a five-minutes nap in it. It later crossed my mind that even as using the toilet and a hygienic one for that matter should be a norm, millions of people across the globe do not have access to this facility.

Besides being able to ease yourself conveniently and comfortably which otherwise could have had negative effects on your health, the protection of the environment and its inhabitant is another very important reason to have a clean and conducive loo.

For those that have visited places like Makoko in Lagos, you would definitely appreciate the blessing of being able to take a dump seated on a proper loo.

Public toilets seem to be gaining popularity but not in all parts of the world. However, until our government and other well-meaning individuals start to realize that it is everyone’s responsibility to encourage a safe and hygienic environment, We can as well bid goodbye to a healthy, safe and happy environment and generation, one that is sustainable and beneficial to generations to come. The likes of

Meanwhile, you can only help a drowning man by staying afloat. It is therefore important to always seek financial freedom and multiple income sources especially in this harsh times. Thankfully, there are always ways of making some money on the sides and what better to do this than to have a source that brings you some few dollars as you sleep. It is even more interesting here – Click Intensity as it requires very little startup capital. For more on this mind-blowing opportunity, whatsaapp or call 08088884801 or send a mailto:adeyinkaadejumo@aol.com.

The likes of Late Otunba Gadafi have contributed their bit with such initiatives as the DMT mobile toilet, this of course is not enough to solve our present situation leading to the cry for more “shit” places where Nigerians can go and have a quiet and comfortable dump.

The statement that insurgency in the North East by the Boko Haram sect led to the current tomato scarcity experienced across the country made by the Minister of Information and Culture did not only amuse me; it also reminded me of the former Minister of Information, Labaran Makun’s statement that the then President Goodluck Jonathan brought Facebook to Nigeria.
While I am just like any other Nigerian, who will jump of headlines to draw a conclusion without reading the news in full, the two statements just go to show the kind of country we have and of course, the kind of citizens we are.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Audu Ogbeh clearly stated that the current tomato scarcity is caused by what is popularly known as “tomato Ebola” and this makes it even funnier that another Minister is attributing the situation to the insurgency. Alhaji Lai Mohammed claims that farmers have been chased away from their zone due to insecurity. He also added that the country has lost two years of harvest to the insurgency.
I will not be drawing any conclusion to what the honorable Minister said, but I have one question – why should we be suffering this issue when the insurgency has been defeated according to the same Minister of Information. This question leads to two sub-questions – the first concerns the Minister’s claim of losing two years harvest, but the last time I checked, Nigerian tomato farmers do not store their produce so how can be losing a harvest that has never been stored? The other question is that if Boko Haram did not cause tomato scarcity when the insurgency was biting hard, why do we have scarcity now that the present administration is claiming victory over the insurgency.
So before our Ministers and other public office holders come out to make statements, they should think carefully and remember that “the talker should remember those that know how to listen.” And for Nigerians, especially the young ones, it is high time we started embracing politics and politicking if we want to put a stop to this menace and embarrassment.

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